Power-driven surfboard



OC. 19, 1948. D M STEELE 2,451,781

POWER DRIVEN SURFBOARD Filed June 25, 1945 .2 ASlfxeecs-Sheet 1 I /7 2o T12 no@ M gfgm A TTORNEY Oct. 19, 1948. D M STEELEi 2,451,781

I POWER 4DRIVEN sURFBoARD Filed June 25, 1:945

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 190i@ Siegel@ ,4770K EY Patented Oct. 19, 1948 UNITED` STATES PATE-NT 'OFFICE ,2,451,781` POWER-DRIVEN sURFBoARD Doty M. steelams Angeles, caiif. l ApplicationJunefzs, 1945,- serialNo. 601.48?.

(CL3-1s) l 6A Claims.

My invention relates to a power driven surf board and has for its principal objects, toequip a surf board of high buoyancy, with a propeller driven by an internal combustion engine, further, to provide simple and efficient means for controlling the operation of the motor and the steering of the surf board while same is being driven forwardly and further, to provide a surf board with pontoons arranged along both sides and mounted so as to be lowered onto the surface of the Water and thereby increase the buoyancy of the surf board, or elevated from the Water when it is desired to drive the surf board at increased speeds.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig, 1 is a top plan` view of my improved surf board.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. e Y

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the surf board with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 with the pontoons in elevated positions.

Fig. 5 is a cross section similar to Fig. 4 and showing the pontoons in lowered positions.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing the ratchet and pawl arrangement for holding the pontoons in elevated position.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line '1 -1,Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on the line 8"-8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section of the'rudder, its mounting and electrical contacts associated therewith.

Fig. 10 is anfenlarge-d horizontal section on the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view of a mercury switch which may be used in the ignition circuit of the engine.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates the hollow watertight body of the surf board having a rounded bow Il, in which is formed a well or vertical opening I2, for the accommodation of a propeller driving shaft and its housing I3.

The lower portion of this housing projects below the bottom of body I0 and carries a. propeller I4, driven by the shaft Within said housing, and

taken protected` by a surrounding guard or cage I5, preferably of Wire.

l Amotor I6, preferably. an internalcombustion engine, of the conventionalA marine type, used for propelling small boatsdrive`s the shaft within housing I3, said motor being positioned above `Well I2 an detachably connected, bysuitable clamps to a rail II, located on .thedeck `pf the surf board .just in front of said well.`

" The vclamping means just referredto, 4comprises a` p'air of .short plates |18, pivoted at I9 to rail vi1 and notched' for the `reception of housing la ,and exhaust pipe 20, andthe rear ends of these plates being held in' clamping engagement with 'parts yla and `in 'by alreleasable latch 2| (seerig. 7)".

These clampingplates in addition to securing the engine "toA the. deck of the `surf board, provide` `a closure for the upper endof well I2 and thereby prevent water from splashing upward through Said Well.

jConnectedby hinges 22fto the sides of the deck Illa `of vthe surf board, `are pontoons` 23, `preferablyl elongated cylindrical shells of sheet metal lor the'like`.which'lie alongside said surf board and connecting theforwardportions of said pontoonsfis a` transversely disposed retractile coil lspring, which tends tornaintainsaid pontoons in"elevated positions yas seen in Fig. 4. When `are wholly above the power therein and said pontoons are held in such positions by detents 25; ad'jistably mounted on the sides of the deck, and which engage ratchet -g`ers26`, secured onthe `pontoons (see Fig. 5). l The steering means for the surf board include "a rudder 26, positioned beneath the bow vIl and earned- 1by the 1ower end of `a shaft zymounted for a rotary and slight tilting movement inl a bearing 28, that is formed in the lower end of a vertical housing 29, secured on the forward end of said bow.

Shaft 2'I is normally held at its forward limit of tilting movement within housing 29 by a spring 30, secured to said housing and bearing against the front side of said shaft. Mounted on the rear face of shaft 21 and insulated therefrom is a contact 3|, which when said shaft is tilted rearwardly, engages a contact 32 mounted on and insulated from housing 429 (see Fig. 9).

Contacts 3l and 32 are connecte-d by suitable conductors 3'3 to the ignition system associated 3 with engine I6 and due to the pressure of spring 30 against shaft 21, so as to separate contacts 3| and 32, the ignition circuit is normally open.

Mounted on the upper end of shaft 21 is a transverse steering arm 34, to the ends of which are connected the ends of a, cord 35 which extends rearwardly over the surf board.

Thus a person sitting, lying, or standing on the surf board may grasp the .substantially .parallel port-ions v'of the lcord and readily shift the position of the rudder to steer said surf board and as long as said cord is held taut, the contacts 3| and 32 are engaged so as to close the ignition circuit of the engine.

If desired the exposed contact form of .switch may be replaced by a mercury switch as shown in Fig. 11, and where this construction Sis used,

a substantially bow shaped tube 36 of glass conlowered outer en'd of said tube lvand thereby y-connects contacts '31 .in 'the ignition circuit.

Connected to the speed control of lthe engine, is a 'rod 38, the 'outer end thereof terminating directly above the axis 'of shaft 21 and being connected to the lower :end off la short crank 39, which depends from a rock 'shaft 40, mounted in bearings 41 on steering arm 34.

'The opposite end of shaft l0 is provided with an upstanding crank arm 42 towhioh is con'- A Vnec'ted the forward end of .a cord 43 which extends rearwardly over the .surf board .adjacent -the right hand portion of cord 35 and ,bein'g con- .nected thereto by several spaced transverse cords 44.

The lconstri-iction just `described provides simple .means for r.actuating the,.accelerator `of the engine while the .surf board being driven.

Operation of 4the engine drives propeller 1'4, which in turn drives .the .surf board iorwardly and rudder 2.6 is .turned by ,pulling strains applied to one .side portion or the other .of `cord 535., .thus .steering the VAboard .during forward travel.. .Speed .of the `engine and Ypropeller .I4 driven thereby, may be increased as desired, by pullupon cord43. When .the ysurf Yboard is being driven .by 'one person, .the pontoons 23 are .elevated as shown .in Fig. 4, .thus cutting down water lresistance, and enabling the l.board to be driven `at higher speeds. To increase `the .buoyancy of .the .sunf board, `so as to carry two or more persons, the pontoons, lare lowered into the positions Ashow-n Fig. 5.

Thus it will be seen that II have provided a power driven surf board that is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture and very efective in performing the functions for which itis intended. I

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the Various parts of my improved surf board may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. .a ,power driven surf board, the combi- 'nation with an'e'longated hollow body provided in its forward portion with a vertical opening, of a motor disposed above said opening, a propeller driven by said motor and disposed below said opening, a rudder disposed beneath the forwar-.d end of `said body, manually operable means for actuating said rudder and pontoons hinged fto the sides 'of Asaid body so as to swing upwardly and inwardly onto the sides of the deck of said `body vand a retractile spring connecting said pontoons.

2. In a power driven surf board 'the combination as set forth in claim 1, with manually operable lmeans associated with said rudder actuating means or actuating the speed controlling means 'of said motor.

3. In a power driven surf board the combination as set forth in claim 1, with cooperating .pivot'ed 'cover plates for clamping a lportion of said motor and for closing the upper end of said well.

4. In a power driven surcf board the combination as set forth in claim 1, withpontoons hinged `to the sides of said body and adjustable means for securing. said pontoons in different vertical positions.

, 5. In .a power driven surf board the combinajtion as set forth in claim 1 with independently operable vmeans carried by said rudder actuating means for controlling the ignition circuit of said motor. 6. The combination with a surf board and its deck, of ya motor xactuated propeller for driving the surf board, pontoons disposed to the sides of .and hinged to said deck soas to swing upwardly into position on top of said deck .and a retractile :spring connecting .the forward portions of Ysaid pontoons. v

DOTY M. STEELE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATNTS Number Name Date 1,422,071 Allenbaugh July 11, 1922 1,722,516 Cook July 30, .'1929 1,860,173 Colstad May 24, 1'932 2,045,645 Hansen .June 30, 1936 

